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racing the planet

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner

Published on April 19, 2018 By Thomas Watson

Filippo Rossi is a globetrotting journalist originally from the Swiss-Italian town of Lugano.

In the last few years, Filippo has thrown himself around the world, running some of the most prestigious and challenging ultras and stage races in far-flung locales.

His medal collection includes Marathon des Sables, Transgrancanaria, Endurance Life Dorset, Ultrabericus, Vulcano Trail and every race in the 4 Deserts series. In fact, in 2016 he completed the 4 Deserts Grand Slam – all four 250km races within one calendar year, consistently achieving top-10 positions.

A seasoned ultrarunner whose pack is always lighter than everyone else’s, Filippo knows how to run far.

The following interview is an excerpt from the Stage Race Handbook.

Meet Filippo Rossi

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner 1

Hey Filippo, we first met at Racing The Planet Namibia a couple of years ago.  What was it about the 4 Deserts races that first caught your eye?

When I first came to Namibia, I already had the Marathon des Sables experience behind me. I was confident about what was going on.

However, the environment of people was completely different. This is what stunned me at first. The idea to meet worldwide people much deeper than what I had experienced before. In terms of racing, of course, I saw a difference in the organization.

Even though 4 Deserts was always very well organized, they missed some facilities that MDS provided automatically.

How has your preparation for stage races evolved from one race to the next?

I must say that after Marathon des Sables I changed completely my vision of training because I changed my trainer.

That happened just before that first 4 Deserts race in Namibia. Since then I radically improved my running style and my consciousness about it, making it possible to train and know what I was doing. During the 4 Deserts Grand Slam, I continued improving this conscious running style that today allows me to train much more efficiently.

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner 2

What was the biggest challenges, or scary moments, of the 4 Desert Grand Slam?

The challenges were everywhere. Time to recover was never enough.

Races were tough and no discount was made, even for the grand slammers.

The biggest challenge was mental. Keeping the mindset ready for the next challenge.

When I finished Antarctica, I was scared of what was coming next, because I entered a loop.

The scariest moment was during the Atacama Crossing –  I really considered the dropping out because of a stomach acidity problem, which I solved just by downing some pills that the doctor gave me. However, the problems still persisted and I finished the run with a lot of problems, compromising the result.

I remember you probably had the lightest pack in the 4 Deserts Namibia race, something like 6.5kg.  Can you share what your pack weights were, and how you managed to reduce them so much??

This is maybe the funniest thing you have to do before going to the desert.

Preparing the backpack is an art.

I started at MDS with more than 8kgs and finished this year at the Iranian Silk Road Ultramarathon with just 6.5kg. Not bad. But how?

Simply getting rid of anything that isn’t useful for the race. The food is really tight and minimal for the whole week, which means that you get the calories you need from a very small amount of food.

Then all the small items like knife, lamps and mirrors are really basic, as the sleeping bag, which is no more than 300g. Considering all the mandatory equipment that RTP requires, which is far too much, I was always able to keep the weight low without cheating.

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner 3
Filippo resting in his ‘camp clothes’ – an ultra-lightweight paper suit!

How do stage races influence other aspects of your life, whether personal or professional?

Stage races changed my life.

I must say that after journalism, my profession, I live for running.

I would love to run any kind of stage races in the world if I just had the time. You live such intense experiences and meet such amazing people that it really touches you.

Personally, it helped me a lot, being stronger mentally and much more consecutive. Professionally also, since my work brings me to risk anytime, I always need concentration and determination, which is also thanks to these races.

Did you get any bad injuries during the 4 Deserts Grand Slam?

Fortunately not, I finished Antarctica just with bad tendons inflammations, but that was fair enough considering the terrain and the hardness of the course.

What was it like running 250km in Antarctica?

Antarctica was surely an awesome experience that I would maybe repeat without racing such a race.

250km run on a loop-range that goes from 1.5km to 3.5km for 10 hours, is far too much, even for the strongest.

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner 4

This proves you mentally and physically since you’re never on a hard path, the weather changes every minute and the loops are so tiny that you always have to pass people making double efforts. I considered that race as a proof for my head, and the result was perfect since I came 3rd out of 60 people.

Talking about the fact of running in Antarctica, that was priceless. Animals and landscapes were just something unexplainable and I will never forget it.

What advice would you give to someone preparing for their first ever stage race?

The best advice I can give is doing like me: find someone that already did it and let him guide you, especially for the gear. The most important thing is the gear and the food. Logistics make more than half of everything.

Training and mental preparation are important too, but if you go with the wrong pair of shoes or you bring the wrong food (which is always my case, after 6 times), you will not finish or you will just hate the experience. This is what I did: I got to know a guy, who is one of my best friends today, that already did MdS. I asked him, learned from him. He finally checked my equipment and told me if I was missing something. Done. My MdS was a success.

Filippo Rossi: the Globetrotting Ultrarunner 5
Filippo and I during Racing The Planet: Namibia 2016

Any ‘secret sauce’ tips / quirky things you do to help you during stage races?

For sure anyone develops his own strategies. For me, for example, comfort is everything.

I learned that gaiters are not always useful. If you don’t have dunes, you don’t need them.

Salt tablets are essential as the electrolytes are. I personally take only tablets, avoiding taking liquids that could disturb your stomach with predictable bad-turnings.

Eventually, I would add the shorts. Tights with more pockets are good to bring more energy bars, salts and everything you need during the race without always opening the bags, stopping and losing time and rhythm. It is simple: just take any kind of tights and tell a tailor to sew some elastic pockets (tailor-made). This is a winning strategy if you also want to avoid using a front pack.

Follow Filippo on his Facebook page, or on his personal running blog below:

http://followpippa.gatewaytours.ch/

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Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: 4 Deserts, Interviews, Marathon des Sables, Stage Race · Tagged: 250km, 4 deserts, Filippo Rossi, marathon des sables, Multi-day races, racing the planet, Stage Race, stage race handbook, stage races

Meet Cynthia Fish – The Turtle That Completed The 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus

Last updated on Jan 31, 2020 By Thomas Watson

Cynthia Fish became one of the first women to complete the ‘4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus’ in 2016, completing five 250km races in a calendar year.

She has also completed several other stage races, such as the Global Limits races. Cynthia walks her stage races – she is consistently ‘near the back’, but also has a consistent pace and strategy that works very well!

Cynthia enjoys spending time during the races taking in the scenery, getting to know her fellow runners better and treating the whole thing as an opportunity. You are unlikely to come across a more positive person in a campsite.

The following interview is an excerpt from the Stage Race Handbook.

Meet Cynthia Fish 

Meet Cynthia Fish - The Turtle That Completed The 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus 6

Hi Cynthia, you’re a celebrated ‘turtle’ – tell me a bit about the benefits of taking it slower.

The hours between 3 pm and dark are my favorite time to be outside- it’s getting cooler, the light is changing, perhaps getting crisper, the sun is setting, with all the change that brings – it is my magic time. (I don’t object to a good sunrise either, I just resent getting out of my warm bed to see it.)

That end of time day is also the most peaceful in my head- I’ve pretty much wrestled my own demons, and solved a few of the world’s problems, so my mind is fairly still. No chattering voices upsetting the steady tic tic tic of the poles.

It is also a time when the competitors are the most spaced out, so you often really feel solitary, alone with the world around you. One of the great features of the races is the alternating aloneness on the course, and the company in camp, so being out there by yourself is a feeling to be cherished and treasured, perhaps even a little indulged.

Finally, it’s the welcoming sound of the camp chatter. I was probably a sheepdog in an earlier reincarnation. I am strangely comforted by the fact that most of the racers are safe in camp. I can usually hear camp before I get there, so it’s a bit of a transition moment from alone to together as I approach.

Any ‘secret sauce’ tips / quirky things you do to help you during stage races?

Over time I have collected a small number (read lightweight) objects or foods that have made the races more comfortable. I started with a silk scarf that I find super handy to use as a bandana, a neck warmer, a hand warmer… I sleep with it instead of a scratchy buff if it’s cold, and I will often keep it on for the first few kilometers of the day…. it’s just a little taste of soft that feels nice.

I added a very thin, very light (about 50 grams) sleeping mat. I just roll it out and voila- some protection against the chill, the wet, the prickly bushes or the rocks- without the time and effort to blow up the inflatable mat, which I also bring.

The rollout mat is especially pleasurable during my golden hour- the time I use to recover with my feet up and my recovery drink and snack in hand. I unclip it, roll it out, grab the food and voila! instant comfort. An hour later, I am ready to inflate the mat, but for that one hour. bliss… It also protects the blow-up mat from particularly rocky bits, so it’s also a bit of insurance.

I wear a pair of biking shorts over my compression leggings. The shorts have pockets in them and I carry my headlamp, my Kleenex, my hand sanitizer, and other bits and bobs. I also carry a really lightweight grocery bag, in which I put the day’s dinner and breakfast items, and my bowl and cup and spork.

Again, I sort out the food once, and I never have to rush back to the tent to get something I might have forgotten. Similarly, I stash my hat and my mitts in my warmest jacket – I figure if I need the hat and mitts or jacket, then I will shortly need them all.

Meet Cynthia Fish - The Turtle That Completed The 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus 7

How do you approach a stage race – what’s your strategy at the start of the week?

When I was getting ready for my first race, I rehearsed each moment within the race, trying to figure out ways to make those moments flow as smoothly as possible.

How to snack on the trail, where to put the snacks, how to fill the water bottles without getting water all over my front, how to lay out my mat, where to put my blister kit and how to take off my socks and shoes beside the trail. Each time I went out to train, I went over and over in my mind all the scenarios I could imagine and tried to MacGyver myself out of them.

Each race starts the same way.

I wonder what on earth I am doing there.

I question every decision in my life that led me to this moment.

And then I smell the campfire, lay out the sleeping bag, look up at the stars… pure happy.

What was the biggest challenges, or scary moments, of the 4 Desert Grand Slam Plus?

The scariest moment was realizing that I had six stitches in my knee from a fall on day 2 and several river crossings yet to do on the first race of the 5.

Once I finished that race, upright and without an infection, the potential lions in the Namibian desert, the possible frostbite in Antarctica, the salt flats of Atacama, nothing was ever to going to scare me again.

And when I had to walk 4 kilometers through a sandstorm after the end of the Long March in the Gobi, from pink flag to pink flag, with eyes streaming, I wasn’t scared, I was just determined not to lose sight of the reflective tape. The most difficult (and exciting) part was traveling so much in such a short period of time to so many exotic corners of the world.

Physically, resting between the races was important. Each race was tough, and cumulatively it was hard on the system, but knowing that I was going to race over the ten months, I took it easy- always keeping something inside for the last 10km.

Meet Cynthia Fish - The Turtle That Completed The 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus 8

All bandaged up after the stitches!!

What advice would you give to someone preparing for their first ever stage race?

You need a small music machine with some good dance music and a couple of hours of podcasts on some arcane but interesting subject.

You need walking poles.

Research tasty snacks. Fats are very important.

Do as many back to back long training days as you can. Walk as many kilometers as possible, everyone underestimates the amount of time they will be walking on the trail. And hip flexors get surprisingly sore surprisingly quickly.

But the most important thing is to practice practice practice with your gear. Be familiar with your gear and practice packing and unpacking it in the dark, with a head torch when you are tired. Eat the food you are planning to take two meals in a row. The only element of surprise should be the terrain.

Confidence in your kit and confidence in your ability to be able to try to make the cut-offs is what training is all about. Time spent on that at home means that your race is more pleasurable.

What was it about stage races that first caught your eye?

I started doing ultra-marathons because I am too slow to race marathons and I didn’t want to race a horse. I like being outside. I like being off the grid and alone with my thoughts and beautiful landscapes.

I like pushing myself hard, but I am comforted by the safety net the races give in terms of support and medical care. I didn’t know I liked to sleep on the ground. And I didn’t know I was good at it. Rocks don’t bother me.

The training regimen at home involves a fair amount of napping. Except for the fairly gnarly black toenails at the conclusion of the race, it’s all a bit of a walk in the park… kind of.

Meet Cynthia Fish - The Turtle That Completed The 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus 9
Friends together in Namibia – Rick (who lost his bag and all equipment, broke a tooth, had to sleep outside, then got heat exhaustion), Cynthia Fish, Phil Rodd and Hiro (Nakata Hiroshi)

And you just keep signing up for more!

Obviously, I have a bit of an ultra addiction. I only started this sport 5 years ago, and I have averaged four ultras a year which is by any standard a lot. I like who I am when I do the race, and I like the person it has helped me be between the races. I worry less, have more confidence and patience, I feel fitter and stronger than I ever have before.

Excellence doesn’t have to mean podium, it can also mean putting your own best effort together and seeing where it gets you.


Check out Cynthia’s Race Report from the Racing The Planet Sri Lanka Roving Race, which was part of her 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus challenge!

Take Your Running Further With Our Resources...

Half Marathon Resources

How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
Half Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Half Marathon Bootcamp
The Half Marathon Masterclass

Marathon Training Resources

How To Train For a Marathon
Best Marathon Running Shoes
Marathon Training Plans
Free Marathon Meal Plans
Free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp
The Marathon Training Masterclass

Ultramarathon Training Resources

How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
Ultramarathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Stage Race, 4 Deserts, Interviews, Ultramarathon · Tagged: 4 deserts, 4 Deserts Club, 4 Deserts Grand Slam, 4 Deserts Grand Slam Plus, cynthia fish, racing the planet, stage races

Runner Profile – Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire

Last updated on Jan 31, 2020 By Thomas Watson

Sarah Sawyer makes no secret of the fact that she loves multi-day races, primarily because they combine two of her favourite pastimes – running and travel.

She has completed a number of multi-day stage races around the world, including the Racing the Planet 250km Patagonia in 2017 (1st female), Racing the Planet 250km Ecuador (1st female) and the 4 Deserts Atacama Crossing (2nd female).

Basically, if there’s a stage race in a location she wants to visit on holiday, then she’s on the start line! When she’s not running multi-day races she runs everything from 5ks to 100-mile ultramarathons in the mountains, on trails, on the track, and on road.  

The following interview is an excerpt from the Stage Race Handbook.

Meet Sarah SawyerRunner Profile - Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire 10

What was it about stage races that first appealed to you?

I’m embarrassed to say it was watching James Cracknell’s ‘Toughest Race on Earth’ Marathon des Sables DVD that initially seeded the idea of multi-day racing to me. I’d completed a few marathons and was just starting to dabble in ultras, and to a very amateur inexperienced runner, the idea of running the equivalent of four marathons and one ultramarathon in a week seemed almost impossible to me.

However, the seed was planted and before I knew it I was googling ‘multi-day desert races’. I initially opted for the 4 Deserts Sahara Race (which was based in Jordan the year I ran it) as I’d always wanted to visit Jordan and this race started at Wadi Rum and you ran to Petra, which was going to be some finish line! A number of people remarked that there were easier ways to see Petra (i.e. walk there from your hotel!), however, I can’t imagine there are more satisfying ways to see Petra, knowing you’ve traveled 155 miles on foot to get there!

I had nearly two years to train, so I had a lot of time to get used to the idea and prepare. In an era of materialism (of which I’m guilty of as much as anyone – I know I don’t need 24 pairs of trainers!), I loved the idea of going back to basics for a week and surviving with just what I could carry on my back. Also, I openly admit to being the most organised person in the world so I loved the planning and organising and all the lists that I got to make, that is required pre-race before you even get to the start line!

Runner Profile - Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire 11

How has your preparation for stage races evolved?

I think the biggest difference in my preparation has been that I’ve gone from the mindset of being ‘completer’ to ‘competer’. For my first stage race, my starting rucksack weight was 9kg, this dropped to 8kg for Ecuador, just over 7kg for Atacama and then to an all-time low of 6.9kg for Patagonia (and this was despite there being several more items of mandatory kit for Patagonia).

For my first stage race my only goal was ‘completion’, so although I was mindful of my rucksack not weighing too much, I certainly wasn’t obsessive about the weight of it.  I took way more calories than I needed to, and I even took a change of top for camp (although I quickly realised by camp 2 that this was a pointless item and it was binned!). As I got more experience of multi-day racing, I learned exactly how many calories I need a day to be able to run well. I also use the bulk of my mandatory calorie allowance on days 1-5 and just go hungry on the rest day, as the vast majority of the running has been done by then.

I remember on my first race in Jordan waking up on the rest day and having two 800 calorie freeze-dried meals to eat, the last thing I wanted or needed! I also sought out the lightest kit where I could, so for example for Patagonia my headtorch and back-up headtorch in Patagonia had a combined weight of just 33g and my waterproof trousers which were mandatory kit weighed in at 79g. I learned that with every item of mandatory or optional kit there are ways to shave a few vital grams off it if you shop around or improvise, which will bring your total rucksack weight down. I also try and multi-purpose items where I can. So for example, I’m a huge fan of Mountain Fuel energy drinks which combine part of my daily calorie allowance alongside my mandatory electrolyte requirements.

Runner Profile - Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire 12
6.9kg of equipment for the RTP Argentina 250km stage race

My training has also got a lot smarter. For Jordan, I just did lots of long runs along Brighton seafront with my rucksack – hardly ideal preparation for a race in the desert! For subsequent races, I’ve tried to make sure the terrain I’m training on is more like what I’m going to be racing on, so virtually all my runs are off-road, and when I can I get to more technical terrain such as in the Brecon Beacons. Also, I still incorporate speedwork in my training; if you want to race stage races with the view to hopefully being towards the top of the field, then you do need that speed as days 1 – 4 always tend to be shorter than marathon distance.

How does Pilates compliment your ultra-running?

I’m a huge advocate of Pilates and yoga to compliment my running. I truly believe that without it, I wouldn’t be able to run the distances I do in training and racing and stay injury-free. Pilates has been so useful for strength, conditioning and for a strong core for carrying the rucksack. I use yoga to improve my flexibility and also use hot yoga if I’m going to be racing in a hot climate.

Runner Profile - Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire 13

Is it hard to find time to train sufficiently for stage races?

The hardest thing for me for stage races is not the time you need to train for a stage race, but training with your pack. Your runs are slower, the pack affects your running form, and at the end of the day, it’s not natural to be running with a 7+kg load on your back! Because I have quite a strong endurance background, I already have that as my base, and then will just train with the pack for about 6 weeks before the race. I find 6 weeks is the optimum length of time for me to get used to running with the full pack, yet it’s not too long that it puts too much stress on my body. I think there’s a misconception that you need to run really high mileage in training for a stage race. I tend to peak at around 70-80 miles a week and it’s more about the quality of those miles, rather than just churning out lots and lots of long, slow miles.

What advice would you give to someone preparing for their first ever stage race?

Don’t sacrifice on sleep and calories. So, invest in a good quality sleeping bag that withstands temperatures colder than you’re likely to get.   And don’t even think about saving weight on a sleeping mat – every race I’ve done I see someone try this and it always ends in tears (and sleepless night sleeps!). Similarly, with calories, races will stipulate the minimum amount of calories you need, but find out how many you need to race well every day. You’re going to be in a calorie deficit, but it’s making sure you don’t cross that line and it impacts your performance, so whatever you do make sure you have enough calories.

Any ‘secret sauce’ tips/quirky things you do to help you during stage races?

Sleep! Never underestimate the ‘power’ of sleep. I’m always in my sleeping bag for 7 pm in multi-day races and normally sleep through to 5 am. I know that if I have enough sleep then I can get up and run well every day.

Runner Profile - Sarah Sawyer, Stage Race Extraordinaire 14

For more of her personal running blog, visit shetravelssheruns.wordpress.com For Sarah’s running coaching and Pilates teaching, check out www.pilatesandrunningwithsarah.com

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How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
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Best Marathon Running Shoes
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How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
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Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Interviews, 4 Deserts, Marathon des Sables, Stage Race · Tagged: 250km, 4 deserts, marathon des sables, multi-day race, racing the planet, sarah sawyer, Stage Race, ultramarathon

Dean Karnazes on Stage Races and Running Far

Last updated on Jan 31, 2020 By Thomas Watson

Hey guys,

I recently published the Stage Race Handbook – a full-on, 200-page guide to every part of preparation, training and running multi-day stage races such as the 4 Deserts series and Marathon des Sables.

I was lucky enough to convince several well-known stage race runners and ultra-running legends to contribute to the book in one way or another – including Ryan Sandes, Dion Leonard, and Tony Brammer.

I also reached out to Dean Karnazes – a name you’re probably familiar with.   Dean has won Badwater, run 350 miles without stopping, completed 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, and written a slew of books on his running adventures.

Dean Karnazes 2

Dean also won the 4 Deserts race series back in 2008.   So he was the perfect guy to ask to write the preface for my new book on stage races.

I pinged him an email a few months ago, with no idea whether he’d even read it or respond.

To my surprise, he replied promptly, and after a short discussion, he kindly agreed to write the preface to the Stage Race Handbook.   I thought I’d share what he wrote with you guys, as I’m knocked out by his willingness to contribute.

His generosity really bowled me over for such a busy guy.

Dean Karnazes 4 Deserts

Without further ado, here it is – Dean Karnaze’s preface to the Stage Race Handbook.


Running is my passion.  Not just running, but running far.

It wasn’t always like this, though.   There was a time when I was, like many people, caught up in a busy life.   The busy trap.   I had a great job, fancy car and was deep into the ‘rat race’.   On the night of my 30th birthday, I realized this wasn’t the life I had planned, so I ran 30 miles.   That night forever changed the course of my life.

I began signing up for weekend races – before I knew it, my calendar was full, and I found myself traveling to ever more extreme and exotic places to run. 

This is where stage races come in.  They combine a lot of my favorite things – running, adventures and traveling to amazing places.   When I completed the 4 Deserts Grand Slam back in 2008, those races took me to some of the wildest environments I’ve ever run in – whether it was the vast emptiness of the Atacama or living aboard a boat in Antarctica.

These races tap into that primordial feeling, which is the reason I run.   They allow you to spend a long time out in the wild with nothing but your backpack and your running buddies.  They have reminded me that there is magic in misery.  When you’re out in the desert, be it the Sahara or the Gobi, all you have is your own fortitude and willpower for company.   What’s not to love about that?

And the other thing about these races is the people you meet.   They’re not always what you’d expect.   I’ve seen grandmothers and college professors, war veterans and people who have never run farther than a half marathon all line up at the start line of stage races.   And they make it through.   They survive and endure and their stories are some of the most inspiring I have ever heard. 

I hope that this book serves to inspire you to push yourself, test the impossible and persevere.  May you run far!

 – Dean Karnazes

Take Your Running Further With Our Resources...

Half Marathon Resources

How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
Half Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Half Marathon Bootcamp
The Half Marathon Masterclass

Marathon Training Resources

How To Train For a Marathon
Best Marathon Running Shoes
Marathon Training Plans
Free Marathon Meal Plans
Free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp
The Marathon Training Masterclass

Ultramarathon Training Resources

How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
Ultramarathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Stage Race, 4 Deserts, Interviews · Tagged: 4 deserts, dean karnazes, Dean Karnazes 4 Deserts, marathon des sables, racing the planet, stage race handbook, stage races, ultramarathon

250km At The End Of The World – Antarctica, The Last Desert

Last updated on Aug 09, 2019 By Thomas Watson

Brendan Funk is the youngest person to complete Racing The Planet’s 6-day, 250km Antarctica adventure race.  Here is his full account of his journey through Antarctica.

[Read more…] about 250km At The End Of The World – Antarctica, The Last Desert

Take Your Running Further With Our Resources...

Half Marathon Resources

How To Train For a Half Marathon (Article)
Best Half Marathon Running Shoes
Half Marathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Half Marathon Bootcamp
The Half Marathon Masterclass

Marathon Training Resources

How To Train For a Marathon
Best Marathon Running Shoes
Marathon Training Plans
Free Marathon Meal Plans
Free 5-day Marathon Training Bootcamp
The Marathon Training Masterclass

Ultramarathon Training Resources

How To Train For an Ultramarathon
Best GPS Watches for Ultrarunners
Ultramarathon Training Plans
Free 5-day Ultra Runner’s Bootcamp
The Ultra Runner’s Playbook

 

Written by Thomas Watson · Categorized: Stage Race, 4 Deserts, Long Form, Race Reports · Tagged: 250km, 4 deserts, antarctica, Brendan Funk, racing the planet, Stage Race, the last desert

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MARATHON TRAINING PLANS

Couch To Marathon Training Plan
6 Month Beginner Marathon Training Plan
20 Week Rookie Marathon Training Plan
16 Week ‘First Time’ Marathon Training Plan
Sub 4 Hour Marathon Training Plan
12 Week Marathon Training Plan
Sub 3 Hour Marathon Training Plan
20 Week Advanced Marathon Training Plan
20 Week Advanced (INTENSE) Marathon Training Plan

View all of our marathon training plans

HALF MARATHON TRAINING PLANS

Couch To Half Marathon Training Plan
16 Wk Beginner Half Marathon Training Plan
12 Week Rookie Half Marathon Training Plan
10 Week Improve Half Marathon Training Plan
8 Week Improver Half Marathon Training Plan
Sub 2-Hr Half Marathon Training Plan
Sub 1:45 Half Marathon Training Plan
Sub 1:30 Half Marathon Training Plan

View all of our half marathon training plans

 

ULTRAMARATHON TRAINING PLANS

50k Training Plan – Just Finish
50k Training Plan – Improve
50k Training Plan – Compete
50 Mile Training Plan – Just Finish
50 Mile Training Plan – Improve
50 Mile Training Plan – Compete
100k Training Plan – Just Finish
100k Training Plan – Improve
100k Training Plan – Compete
100 Mile Training Plan – Just Finish
100 Mile Training Plan – Improve
100 Mile Training Plan – Compete

View all of our ultramarathon training plans

4-Hour Marathon
Marathon In 3 Months
StageRaceHandbook
MarathonTrainingMealPlans

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